Making your own homemade oleo-calcareous liniment

Did you know you can make your own oleo-calcareous liniment at home?

Liniment is a truly versatile product. We love it just as much for baby bums as we do for removing makeup, massaging, moisturizing, etc. Anything natural and multifunctional is also an essential product for any granola bathroom cabinet! Especially since it is a product that is really easy to make yourself, even for beginners.

I apply liniment almost exclusively to the little bum of my little one, born last June 7th. Since birth, we have been using disposable diapers, which are more irritating (compared to cloth diapers), and the liniment provides extra protection and hydration.

Yes, disposable diapers, you read that right. Go ahead, throw stones at me! Haha! My cloth diapers are waiting patiently in the drawer. Don't worry, we'll take them out soon. My ecological convictions are still very much present, I know the impact of disposable diapers on the environment… even if, at the moment, I don't really like to think about it.

Disposable diapers are a choice we made to preserve our mental health.

Right now, I am truly in survival and adaptation mode. One thing at a time. Once we find our rhythm, we will integrate cloth diapers. But right now, honestly, the tempo of my life sounds much more like contemporary experimental jazz than repetitive, predictable reggaeton. I know the time will come when it becomes possible, but currently, I'm chasing seconds. It’s not rare for suppertime to arrive and my teeth still haven't been brushed, and I won't even mention the shower, that object of desire… so close to me… but at the same time so far! HAHA… ha?

Still, I managed to make a few attempts with cloth diapers, just to get an idea of what to expect. I believe that when the time comes, the adaptation will be quite simple. Plus, it’s just so much cuter!

Liniment: the why and how

Liniment, an ancient recipe originating from the south of France (no less!), is a kind of cleansing and moisturizing milk. In addition to being natural and healthy, it does not need to be rinsed off and is compatible with cloth diapers. Just all good, really!

On a baby’s bottom, you apply the liniment using a reusable wipe, clean the bum, and that’s it! Liniment has the property of cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting the skin, neutralizing the acidity of urine, as well as preventing and healing diaper rash. All that in a single product and a single step. WOW! It is also an excellent makeup remover (well, mascara has been off the table since June, but I'll get back to that eventually!), and a wonderful lotion for massages, soothing eczema and dry skin, and also combating seborrheic dermatitis in little ones, commonly known as "cradle cap."

Pretty much the ultimate in terms of multifunctionality!

“What do you mean, it cleans?”

The traditional oleo-calcareous liniment recipe is composed of one part olive oil and one part limewater (calcium hydroxide). If you followed our introductory artisan soap-making workshop, you know that upon contact with a strong basic solution, oil (and fats) turn into… soap! More precisely, in the case of liniment, the limewater (a strong base with a pH of 12) upon contact with the oil will saponify the fats to create a cleansing milk.

Liniment ingredients

As you have just seen, oil and limewater are essential for making liniment. While you can opt for the traditional recipe, you can also play with the texture of the liniment by adding beeswax, sunflower wax, an emulsifier, vegetable butters, etc.

Vegetable oil

Regarding vegetable oil, you can use whatever you want! You can opt for traditional olive oil, but for a more local Quebec version, we suggest organic sunflower oil, organic hemp oil, and/or organic camelina oil.

You can also use an oil maceration to benefit from the soothing properties of plants, such as calendula or chamomile oil macerate!

Butter

Although it really is an oil, we consider coconut oil in the butter category due to its texture. Coconut oil is a good option to add to a liniment for a slightly firmer, cream-like texture. We suggest not using more than 20% of the oil phase.

Along the same lines, you could also opt for raw or refined shea butter, mango butter, or oat butter. We suggest not using more than 5% of the oil phase. For example, if our recipe calls for 100 g of limewater, we could add 100 g of oil and 5 g of shea butter.

Wax or vegetable emulsifier

To prevent the oil and limewater from separating, and for a thicker and more protective result, you can add raw beeswax or sunflower wax. You can also opt for an emulsifying wax, but I haven't tested that.

Note on beeswax: beeswax itself is not compatible with cloth diapers. However, due to the small amount in the recipe as well as the way liniment is used, the presence of beeswax poses no problem. When applying with the wipe, it is important to wipe away the excess. This will leave only a small moisturizing film on your little one’s bottom. This will be quickly absorbed by the skin and will not clog the diaper. Yeah!

Vitamin E

To preserve the liniment for longer, you can add a natural antioxidant like Vitamin E, to delay the rancidity of the oils. But don't worry, you'll likely go through your bottle so quickly that the oils won't have time to go rancid.

Essential oils?

If you wish to use your liniment for yourself, you can add essential oils (unless you want to use it as an eye makeup remover… it’s better to avoid it!). In any case: be careful, there are restrictions for the use of essential oils during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

For babies, they should be avoided! Even if we chose a safe essential oil, we are still talking about their intimate area, meaning their mucous membranes being cleaned several times a day. In our house, at least, it’s a no!

Production tools

We strongly recommend using an immersion blender to concoct the liniment. Unlike other types of blenders, the immersion blender has the perfect shape to create a nice emulsion and ensure the limewater and oils are well mixed.

It can be done with other tools like a hand mixer or a stand mixer, but it is less optimal!

Tip

A quick note on washing wipes. Over time, wipes can become saturated with oil and stain other items in a load of laundry. Take care to wash them separately or with clothes you don't mind too much. We also recommend deep cleaning them regularly, just as you would with cloth diapers.

Try our recipes!

I propose two options: the basic recipe, very effective and fast, and a slightly more sophisticated version, if you feel like having some fun.